Arrests made, property recovered in weekend Camera Store break-in
Tips from the public were instrumental in a pair of arrests connected with a weekend break-in at a popular Calgary photography shop.
Postmedia has learned two suspects were taken into custody outside a northeast Calgary mall Monday afternoon, as they met with an undercover police officer who answered an online ad advertising one of the stolen cameras for sale.
Sgt. Lee Dunbar of the city’s online stolen property team told Postmedia that detectives, acting on a tip from the public, posed as an interested buyer and reached out the person who posted the ad on the online buy-and-sell site Kijiji.
Early Saturday morning, police were called to The Camera Store on 11th Avenue S.W. for reports of an overnight break-in.
Once there, police found thieves had peeled back a security screen and smashed their way into the shop through a window, making off with more than $50,000 in highend photography gear.
In their negotiations to purchase one of the stolen cameras — a Hasselblad X1D that retails for about $12,000 — the seller also offered to sell lenses that matched the description of those taken during Saturday’s break-in.
“So we were sure, as they were consistent with the ones stolen from The Camera Store, that these were the guys,” Dunbar said.
From there, investigators made the deal and arranged a face-toface meeting, during which two males were arrested.
While the Hasselblad was recovered, a Leica MP Safari — a rare $13,000 digital camera also stolen in Saturday’s break-in — has not been found.
Founded earlier this year, the online stolen property team has had success in recovering items and arresting those who sell them.
“It’s unbelievable,” Dunbar said. “Usually we have a lot of success, but not usually right afterward.”
Charged with possession and trafficking in stolen property are 60-year-old Tan Bui and 36-yearold Justin Ross — both of Calgary.
No information is available on whether they are also believed to be responsible for Saturday’s break-in.